Springfield, IL tornado history
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Springfield, IL from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 76th of 441 Illinois cities with a tornado on record. 5 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger by the National Weather Service. The most recent was on June 29, 2023 (EF2, 9.1-mile path); the strongest, on June 14, 1957, was rated F4. The deadliest, on June 14, 1957, killed 2 along its path. SPC also logged 1 preliminary tornado report within 10 miles of the center of Springfield, IL in 2026.
Dashed circle: 10 miles from the city's Census center point. A tornado counts when its recorded path passes inside the circle. Paths run straight from start to end point, as SPC records them.
Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.
Every tornado within 10 miles of the center of Springfield, IL
| Date | Rating | Path length | Deaths / injuries | Started in | Closest to center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2026 | Prelim. report | – | – | Sangamon County, IL | 3.6 mi |
| Jun 29, 2023 | EF2 | 9.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.8 mi |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF2 | 21.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.5 mi |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF2 | 5.4 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.4 mi |
| Apr 28, 2020 | EF0 | 2.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 9.1 mi |
| May 22, 2019 | EF1 | 15.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 9.2 mi |
| Dec 1, 2018 | EF1 | 4.6 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 8.2 mi |
| Mar 15, 2016 | EF1 | 3.6 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 6.4 mi |
| Aug 19, 2009 | EF1 | 12.9 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 6.1 mi |
| Aug 19, 2009 | EF2 | 19.1 mi | 0 / 3 | Morgan County, IL | 4.7 mi |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F1 | 1.5 mi | 0 / 1 | Sangamon County, IL | 6.9 mi |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F1 | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 0.7 mi |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F1 | 1.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 0.7 mi |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F1 | 1.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 6.4 mi |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F2 | 12.5 mi | 0 / 4 | Sangamon County, IL | 6.1 mi |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F2 | 4.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 0.6 mi |
| Aug 26, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 9.5 mi |
| May 9, 2003 | F0 | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 9.3 mi |
| Jun 20, 2000 | F0 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 4.1 mi |
| Jun 29, 1998 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 6.3 mi |
| Jul 28, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Menard County, IL | 10.0 mi |
| May 9, 1995 | F3 | 50.0 mi | 0 / 6 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.6 mi |
| Jun 19, 1990 | F1 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 9.2 mi |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F1 | 8.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 2.7 mi |
| May 8, 1988 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 6.7 mi |
| May 16, 1986 | F0 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.2 mi |
| Jul 14, 1985 | F0 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 0.7 mi |
| Jun 8, 1981 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 5.9 mi |
| Jul 26, 1978 | F3 | 8.9 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 5.9 mi |
| Aug 6, 1977 | F1 | 3.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 9.7 mi |
| Aug 6, 1977 | F0 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.8 mi |
| Aug 6, 1977 | F0 | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 8.4 mi |
| Aug 6, 1977 | F3 | 4.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.8 mi |
| Aug 14, 1975 | F2 | 1.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 7.2 mi |
| Jun 16, 1973 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 2.8 mi |
| Apr 22, 1963 | F3 | 42.9 mi | 1 / 5 | Sangamon County, IL | 4.1 mi |
| Jun 22, 1960 | F2 | 34.9 mi | 0 / 1 | Cass County, IL | 4.0 mi |
| May 6, 1960 | F1 | 43.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Greene County, IL | 8.4 mi |
| Jun 14, 1957 | F4 | 4.3 mi | 2 / 50 | Sangamon County, IL | 1.8 mi |
| May 13, 1957 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Sangamon County, IL | 3.0 mi |
More: Sangamon County tornadoes · Illinois tornado history · Springfield hail history · Illinois damaging wind
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) tornado file, 1950–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Ratings are the ones the National Weather Service assigned: Fujita (F) scale before Feb 1, 2007, Enhanced Fujita (EF) after. Paths are drawn as straight lines from the start to the end point SPC records; real paths curve. City and county boundaries: US Census Bureau.
NWS Damage Survey Paths Near Springfield
The National Weather Service mapped the path of 9 tornadoes within 10 miles of Springfield in damage surveys (3 EF2, 5 EF1, 1 EF0). On the map, those paths follow the survey, colored by the EF rating of each stretch, instead of a straight line from start to end.
| Date | Rating | Peak wind | Path length | Max width | Deaths / injuries | On the ground | Surveyed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | EF1 | 100 mph | 24.1 mi | 150 yd | 0 / 0 | 21:19–21:38 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| Jun 10, 2026 | EF1 | 110 mph | 24.1 mi | 250 yd | 0 / 0 | 04:04–04:30 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| Jun 29, 2023 | EF2 | 120 mph | 9.5 mi | 800 yd | 0 / 0 | 17:12–17:19 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF2 | 130 mph | 21.1 mi | 1,200 yd | 0 / 0 | 23:18–23:46 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF2 | 130 mph | 5.5 mi | 400 yd | 0 / 0 | 23:12–23:20 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| Apr 28, 2020 | EF0 | 78 mph | 2.1 mi | 100 yd | 0 / 0 | 23:56–00:01 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| May 22, 2019 | EF1 | 110 mph | 15.3 mi | 150 yd | 0 / 0 | 05:15–05:27 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| Dec 1, 2018 | EF1 | 100 mph | 4.6 mi | 100 yd | 0 / 0 | 00:16–00:24 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
| Mar 15, 2016 | EF1 | 105 mph | 3.7 mi | 75 yd | 0 / 0 | 00:44–00:50 UTC | NWS Lincoln |
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT): the tornado paths and EF-rating zones NWS survey teams mapped after each storm. Survey data are preliminary and can be revised; NOAA's official record is Storm Data (NCEI). Paths are simplified to about 30 m. Times are when the tornado was on the ground, in UTC.